High-pressure gas discharge lamps are used in a large area of applications where high luminous flux is required. Especially in the automotive field, high-pressure gas discharge lamps are used in vehicle headlights.
A discharge lamp generally comprises a sealed discharge vessel, where an electrical arc may be ignited between electrodes within a discharge space to generate light. Besides a burner, which includes the discharge vessel and electrodes, a gas discharge lamp further generally comprises a lamp cap comprising mechanical fastening elements and electrical connector means, such that the burner is mechanically fixed and electrically connected to the lamp cap, and the lamp cap itself is electrically connected and mechanically fixed e.g. in a vehicle headlight unit.
It is generally known to provide a lamp cap housing comprising an electrical circuit electrically connected to the burner.
US 2004/0066150 A1 describes a gas-discharge lamp base with an ignition device. The base comprises as three main component parts an upper housing part, a lead frame and a cover. The upper housing part has a central stub for receiving leads to the lamp burner. The lead frame is connected to the lamp burner. The lower housing part comprises a covering plate and a cylindrical, hollow, downwardly open hollow cylinder or stub, which is formed on to the plate. During assembly, the electrical conductors are welded or soldered to a printed circuit board or lead frame. The lower housing part is inserted with its stub into the upper housing part, such that the stub encloses a high voltage contact of the burner and forms a labyrinth to avoid flashovers.